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Ezgi Akin

Ezgi Akin

Al Monitor

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Turkey’s Central Bank keeps interest rates at 50% despite rising inflation

The decision comes after an unexpected hike of 500 basis points last month, increasing rates from 45% to 50%, as monetary tightening resumed after a...

latest 0

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey seeks 2 key demands to support Rutte’s bid to lead NATO

ANKARA — Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Friday as he seeks to woo Turkish...

yesterday 50

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Hamas' Haniyeh to visit Turkey as Erdogan hits back at Gaza criticism

ANKARA — Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh will visit Turkey over the weekend, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is hitting back at...

17.04.2024 6

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey’s FM to visit Qatar as regional diplomacy seeks to contain Iran-Israel tension

ANKARA — Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will travel to Doha on Wednesday, where he is scheduled to meet Qatari officials in bid to contain...

16.04.2024 6

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Middle East on edge after Israel vows 'response' to Iran attack

Israel and Iran traded threats on Tuesday after Tehran's first ever direct attack on its arch foe sharply heightened regional tensions as the Gaza war...

16.04.2024 4

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Heavy floods hit Dubai, airport as Oman toll rises to 18

Torrential rain flooded roads, homes and malls and briefly halted operations at Dubai's airport as storms lashed the Gulf on Tuesday, after leaving at...

16.04.2024 5

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Senior US official in Turkey to discuss regional tensions, Erdogan-Biden summit

ANKARA — Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Acting Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs John Bass on Monday, as diplomatic...

16.04.2024 10

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey restricts exports of 54 products to Israel until Gaza cease-fire

ANKARA — Turkey’s Ministry of Trade announced Tuesday export restrictions for 54 product groups, including mainly construction materials as well...

09.04.2024 10

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Five key takeaways from Turkey's local elections

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) came up short in recent local elections as Turks, including...

05.04.2024 4

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

At least two staff of Turkey-based aid group killed in explosion in Somalia

Turkey-based humanitarian organization says it was targeted deliberately.

04.04.2024 5

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Biden warns Netanyahu US policy depends on Gaza civilian protection

President Joe Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday that US policy on Israel depends on the protection of civilians in Gaza, in his...

04.04.2024 5

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Biden, Netanyahu speak as pressure mounts over Gaza aid worker deaths

President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday amid growing domestic pressure to set conditions on US...

04.04.2024 5

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey’s election board reverses decision to block pro-Kurdish party's local win

ANKARA — Turkey’s High Election Board has reversed its decision to annul the landslide victory by the pro-Kurdish DEM Party’s local candidate...

03.04.2024 4

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey’s election board reverses decision to block pro-Kurdish party local win

ANKARA — Turkey’s High Election Board has reversed its decision to annul the landslide victory by the pro-Kurdish DEM Party’s local candidate...

03.04.2024 10

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey expands crackdown on ISIS after Russia attack

ANKARA — Turkey on Tuesday detained 147 people over suspected links to the Islamic State (ISIS), as authorities expand the crackdown on the militant...

26.03.2024 6

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey hits back after Israel protests Erdogan's comments cursing Netanyahu

ANKARA — Turkey remains defiant in the face of Israel’s diplomatic protest of comments made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cursing Israeli...

22.03.2024 4

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

In surprise move, Turkey’s Central Bank hikes interest rates to 50%

ANKARA — Turkey’s Central Bank, in an unexpected move, hiked interest rates  Thursday by another 500 basis points, from 45% to 50%. The surprise...

21.03.2024 30

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

US urges 'immediate' ceasefire at UN as Gaza war grinds on

The United States has circulated for the first time a draft UN resolution calling for an "immediate" ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, as warnings...

21.03.2024 30

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey hands Meta $148K daily fine over antitrust violation

ANKARA — Turkey’s competition watchdog on Monday ordered Facebook's parent company Meta to pay a daily fine of roughly $148,000, citing the...

18.03.2024 20

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Fatah hits back at criticism of new PM by Hamas, other Palestinian groups

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah party hit back at criticism on Friday by Hamas and other factions over his appointment of a new prime...

16.03.2024 2

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Baghdad's PKK ban: a win-win for Iraq and Turkey but a warning to Iran

This is an excerpt from Turkey Briefing, Al-Monitor's weekly newsletter covering the big stories of the week in Turkey. To get Turkey Briefing in your...

16.03.2024 4

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey hopeful on $1.4 billion reimbursement from US for F-35 deals

ANKARA — Turkey is hopeful that it will receive reimbursement from the United States for the $1.4 billion it paid to buy F-35 fighter jets before...

15.03.2024 10

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Iraq bans PKK as security ties with Turkey gain momentum

ANKARA — Iraq National Security Council has banned the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been waging an armed campaign against the Turkish...

15.03.2024 10

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Plans to get aid into Gaza by sea gain pace as airdrop mishap kills five

An international effort is gathering pace to get desperately needed humanitarian relief into Gaza by sea in a bid to counter overland access...

09.03.2024 4

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey, Somalia ink energy accord amid Horn of Africa tensions

ANKARA — Turkey and Somalia on Thursday signed an offshore energy cooperation accord, setting the stage for a deepening Turkish presence in the Horn...

07.03.2024 2

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey detains seven Mossad suspects as ties with Israel fray

ANKARA — Turkish authorities detained seven people on Tuesday, including a former Turkish police officer suspected of selling information to...

05.03.2024 3

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Abbas in Turkey: Gaza aid, Hamas-Fatah reconciliation on agenda with Erdogan

ANKARA — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Turkey on Tuesday, on a first such visit since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, to...

05.03.2024 6

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey spy chief Kalin to meet CIA’s Burns, discuss Syria, on first US visit

ANKARA — The head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Agency, Ibrahim Kalin, is making  his first trip to the US since taking the position, and...

05.03.2024 2

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

In Antalya, Turkey courts Russia on Black Sea deal, the West on defense

This is an excerpt from Turkey Briefing, Al-Monitor's weekly newsletter covering the main political, business and security stories from Turkey each...

02.03.2024 10

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey’s Fidan set to visit Venezuela and meet Maduro

The Turkish foreign minister is set to make his inaugural visits to Venezuela and Mexico in his capacity as his country’s top diplomat.

23.02.2024 5

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey confirms Somalia maritime security deal amid Somaliland tensions

ANKARA — Turkey will help Somalia develop its maritime security under a defense cooperation deal signed in Ankara earlier this month, the Turkish...

22.02.2024 4

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

One killed, eight wounded in shooting near West Bank settlement

Three Palestinian gunmen killed one person and wounded eight, including a young pregnant woman, in a "terror attack" Thursday near a Jewish settlement...

22.02.2024 10

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

'Dad, come back': Palestinians send radio messages to loved ones in Israeli jails

Palestinians with relatives in Israeli prisons have been deprived of visiting rights during the Israel-Hamas war, opting instead to send messages to...

22.02.2024 6

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Hezbollah hits back after Israel strike kills woman, girl in Lebanon

An Israeli air strike on south Lebanon killed a woman and a girl on Wednesday, prompting Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah movement to retaliate with...

21.02.2024 7

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

US vetoes UN truce vote as Israel pounds Gaza

The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Tuesday calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, with Israel continuing to bombard the...

20.02.2024 3

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

US vetoes Security Council vote on Gaza ceasefire, pushes alternative

The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Tuesday that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, even as President Joe Biden faced...

20.02.2024 3

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey detains 6 people suspected of spying for China

ANKARA — Turkish authorities on Tuesday detained six people suspected of spying on behalf of Chinese intelligence in a rare public move...

20.02.2024 4

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey says talks with US on local production of new F-16 ongoing

ANKARA — Turkey is in talks with the United States for the co-production of new F-16 fighter jets it is set to purchase from the US government, the...

16.02.2024 5

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey’s Erdogan arrives in Egypt, first visit in over 11 years

ANKARA — Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Cairo Wednesday on the first such visit in over a decade, where he is set to meet...

14.02.2024 10

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

India's Modi hails 'unprecedented' UAE ties ahead of temple opening

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said ties with the UAE had reached "unprecedented heights" as he started a visit to inaugurate the...

13.02.2024 2

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey, Somalia sign defense deal in wake of Ethiopia-Somaliland agreement

ANKARA — Turkey and Somalia on Thursday signed a cooperation deal on defense amid lingering tensions in the Horn of Africa over a controversial...

08.02.2024 3

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Israel strike wounds Hezbollah commander in Lebanon

An Israeli drone strike on a car in south Lebanon seriously wounded a commander of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah on Thursday, sources on both...

08.02.2024 2

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey, Somalia sign defense cooperation deal in wake of Ethiopia-Somaliland agreement

ANKARA — Turkey and Somalia on Thursday signed a cooperation deal on defense amid lingering tensions in the Horn of Africa over a controversial...

08.02.2024 4

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey’s new Central Bank chief says new hikes on table if inflation deepens

ANKARA — Turkey’s new Central Bank governor, Fatih Karahan, said on Thursday  that the bank may resume monetary tightening if the country's...

08.02.2024 5

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Turkey marks anniversary of deadliest earthquakes in its modern history

ANKARA — Vigils, memorials and prayers were scattered Tuesday across Turkey’s 11 provinces that were struck by two major earthquakes exactly a...

07.02.2024 3

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Attack in Istanbul leaves 3 dead, Turkey's second in week

ANKARA — Two gunmen from a suspected far-left group attacked an Istanbul courthouse on Tuesday, killing one and wounding five before being killed by...

06.02.2024 4

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Terror attack at Istanbul courthouse kills at least 3 including gunmen

ANKARA — Two gunmen from a suspected far-left group attacked an Istanbul courthouse on Tuesday, killing one and wounding five before being killed by...

06.02.2024 7

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Blinken in Egypt on tour to seek 'enduring end' to Gaza war

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Egypt on Tuesday as part of his latest Middle East crisis tour, seeking a new ceasefire and "an enduring...

06.02.2024 8

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

Mediators work for halt to deadly Gaza fighting

Mediators pushed on with efforts for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire as fighting raged in the besieged Gaza Strip on Thursday, deepening a dire humanitarian...

01.02.2024 2

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

UK's Cameron in Beirut seeks calm on Lebanon-Israel border

British foreign minister David Cameron met Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati in Beirut Thursday to discuss defusing tensions on the Lebanon-Israel...

01.02.2024 3

Al Monitor

Ezgi Akin

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